RX Impact
On March 10th, a group of University of Rhode Island pharmacy students and professors traveled to the nation’s capital in order to advocate for better pharmacy care. Pharmacy students Ben Carroll, Megan Elias, and Ashley Pincins, led by Associate Dean Paul Larrat and Elaina Goldstein, met with US Senators and Congressmen to discuss key pharmacy issues. The policy makers met were Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, Jack Reed and Scott Brown. The team also met with Congressman James Langevin’s legislative aide.
The advocacy event, better known as “RxImpact Day”, was hosted by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores—the organization has been very proactive in ensuring the future of pharmacy practice. Other participants included major pharmacy chain executives, community pharmacists, and 15 other pharmacy schools. The University of Rhode Island is a forerunner of the event—The College of Pharmacy was one of only two schools to attend the first RxImpact Day. The Dean, Ron Jordan, is also one of a select few awarded the title of RxImpact Pioneer for his involvement with the event.
The students discussed issues that dealt with multiple aspects of pharmacy care and accessibility. Pharmacy Student Megan Elias states, “I know that more pharmacist involvement is better healthcare.” The discussed issues were to allow more access and funding for medication therapy management, proper reimbursement for generic medications, and maintaining easy accessibility to pharmacist administered vaccines. All of these points are expected to be topics of upcoming debates in legislation, and the decisions will determine the future of healthcare.
The group is expecting to maintain talks with Senators Whitehouse, Reed and Congressman Langevin while healthcare debates approach. Upcoming information and discussion will give a more in-depth perspective on the potential benefits of pro-pharmacy legislation to the policymakers. Pharmacy Student Ben Carroll states, “The pharmacist is the most accessible healthcare professional in the industry, and it is time that we start utilizing the full benefit of that.”
Ben Carroll
Pharmacy Student
Class of 2012